The Egg Dish Most Chefs Never Order At Brunch

Brunch is more than just a meal, it's an institution. Even though many diners enjoy a lengthy and delicious brunch, not all professional chefs do. Anthony Bourdain hated brunch, mostly because it was a way to use up leftovers and charge a pretty penny. Brunch has skyrocketed in popularity since 2004. While it used to be a late breakfast or early lunch meal that dominated the college hangover party scene, it has since morphed into a social gathering tradition. 

There are hundreds of recipes out there for Sunday brunch offerings, ranging from simple muffins to more elaborate casseroles. One of the unique aspects of brunch is that you can eat typical breakfast foods, such as eggs and bacon, while also indulging in typical dinner foods like oysters and burgers. If you're going out to a restaurant for brunch, you'll want to steer clear of the worst brunch foods or items that could be made at home with ease. If you're going to pay the premium for going out, indulge in something special. Chefs are usually cooking your brunch foods, but when they do get a chance to indulge, there's one dish they claim is always a no-go.

At most restaurants, eggs Benedict is the one item that chefs recommend customers not order. Chef Justin Cucci from Root Down Denver, a popular brunch spot, shared that many chefs just don't know how to make a really good Benedict (via Reader's Digest). A classic eggs Benedict recipe involves perfectly poached eggs resting atop a toasted English muffin with a slice of ham, all topped with Hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise sauce is notoriously difficult to make and can be a disaster if the sauce breaks. Chef Eddie Brik recommends diners stay away from the sauce unless they arrive when the restaurant opens. As the sauce is made with egg yolks, Hollandaise can spoil rather quickly — especially in a hot restaurant kitchen. Unless you know the chef is making each batch fresh, it's better to order something else. If you're looking for something that is almost guaranteed to be better at a restaurant, consider ordering a hearty stack of pancakes. Unlike when you cook pancakes at home in a skillet, restaurants cook their flapjacks on a large griddle. More surface area means more space for the pancakes to get fluffier, with crispy edges, ensuring a better-than-home brunch bite.